RAPIST JAILED 53YRS

MBABANE – He will rot in jail. A 27-year-old man who raped two women in a space of two days has been sentenced to 53 years imprisonment.

Bhekani Mlotshwa of Khiza under Chief Nyakeni, was sentenced by Judge Titus Mlangeni yesterday. This was after he found him guilty of raping the two women who were in their late 20s. Both incidents occurred at Mathendele Location in Nhlangano.

Mlotshwa raped one of the women three times within a period of three hours and further proceeded to forcefully have sexual intercourse with the other.He also used a gun to induce fear upon the survivors.In his judgment, Judge Mlangeni noted that Mlotshwa used a firearm to induce fear upon the complainants and he did not use a condom. He committed one of the offences on February 26, 2010 and the other on February 28, 2010.

The judge further observed that one of the women was raped three times within a period of three hours.“This cruelty is phenomenal and it demonstrates not only a sense of pride in this sordid act, but also the absence of remorse,” said Judge Mlangeni.He also noted that between the cruel acts, Mlotshwa would rest, have a smoke and chat with one of the women as if nothing wrong was happening.

It was also the court’s observation that in absolute despair, one of the survivors befriended Mlotshwa with the hope that he would stop the ordeal such that they referred to each other as ‘mkhaya’, a colloquial reference between people of the same area. Judge Mlangeni said he was unable to find words that adequately captured the scenario in which this poor lady was trapped.“In common law system throughout the world, it is recognised that rape is one of the most heinous, barbaric and dehumanising crimes whose effect upon the survivor cannot be adequately described in words,” added the judge.